Film Score Focus

Sorry folks. I've been absent from the blog these past few weeks. I had a major scoring project that I had been working on since June 30th and I just wrapped it up a few days ago. I'll spend the next several days trying catch up on the blog posts. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the shows!

-Brian

Cowabunga dude! Are ya amped up for some gnarly waves? Well, grab your stick and and tell your beach bunny you'll be hanging ten on the Banzai Pipeline because this week on Film Score Focus we'll be listening to groovy tunes from surf films.

Ah, yes! The surfing film. The tiniest genre to make the biggest splash in all of cinema. What started as a few documentaries marketed towards religious surfing fanatics has grown to epic proportions to every corner of the earth. From early classic surf films like THE ENDLESS SUMMER (1966) to more modern installments like STEP INTO LIQUID (2003) these films are more responsible for recruiting new surfers and proliferating the sport than probably any single thing in existence. No longer a mere island past time, surfing is a favorite activity for folk all over the world and it's all thanks to film.

Here is the lineup for FSF-133 Everybody's Gone Surfin'



This show was actually fairly difficult to put together. Surf films don't normally have original underscores and the ones that do aren't released to the public. The five I did manage to locate sum up the genre perfectly while at the same time exhibit some great traditional and non-traditional methods to scoring the surfing film.

The first wave to catch is POINT BREAK (1991) which isn't necessarily a surf film per se but rather a crime drama where surfing is a key component. One can not view POINT BREAK without experiencing first hand surf culture, surf lingo, and the passion behind surfing. Of course it helps to have the gnarliest dude on the beach, Keanu Reeves as one of your two leads and a flaxen haired Patrick Swayze as the the other.

Mark Isham composed the music early during the early years of his career. It's largely synthesized orchestration highlight the darker and more psychological side to the picture while also throwing in some musical surf-related colloquialisms for good measure.

I have to admit that the next film up, BIG WEDNESDAY (1978) is one that I have not seen but so adore the music. It's hard not to like Basil Poledouris' take on the surf film. It's full of everything you'd want in a great surf score. This film is on my "I-want-to-see-it" list for sometime.

The next film score is super cool! When I was putting this show together one of the things that I learned is that the very first surf films to ever be made was a low-budget documentary called GONE WITH THE WAVE (1964). This predates even the more famous THE ENDLESS SUMMER which came out a couple of years later. To add yet another layer of coolness to this film, Lalo Schifrin composed the music! Wow! I never knew Schifrin composed a surf score. In typical Schifrin fashion, it's very enjoyable music which defines what great surf music is about.

The next selection is from a more recent film called BLUE CRUSH (2002) by Paul Haslinger. There is no known release of his music from this film so I grabbed it over on his web site at www.haslinger.com. There are quite a few selections from the composer's body of work and some cues from this film are included. This is another film which I haven't seen. I'm not sure if it's terribly high on my list. Maybe I need somebody to convince me otherwise.

Finally, we have SURF'S UP (2007) which was composed by Mychael Danna. I was a little surprised to see another 3D animated penguin movie come out so quickly after HAPPY FEAT (2006) but this time they're surfing instead of dancing so I guess it's OK. I like that Danna scored this. He's not normally known for scoring popular fodder like this. He does more artsy and craftsy scores like THE ICE STORM (1997), THE SWEET HEREAFTER (1997), CAPOTE (2005), LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006), and BREACH (2007). It's great to see a composer branch out a bit and take on something different than they're usual fare. SURF'S UP is a nice score. It's got everything you need in a great surf score but it still retains that dash of Mychael Danna worldly weirdness.

I figure as hot as it is down here in Texas that this show might inspire you to head to the beach, grab your board, and hit the waves. The beach is a little far for me so I'll just fill up the kiddie pool and soak for a spell. All the while strains of great surf scores will be racing through my brain.

Surf's up dudes and bunnies!

Yes, I know it's not Halloween. But why should the end of October get all the good scary film music?

Jerry Goldsmith is a legend. He didn't just crank out a handful of great scores. He crafted hundreds of great scores! Among his very best are the scores for the incredible THE OMEN trilogy. I've often said that aside from Bernard Herrmann's PSYCHO (1960), Goldsmith's score for the original THE OMEN (1976) could be some of the scariest music I've ever heard.

And do you think Goldsmith gets off easy just because he adapts the Latin Ave Satani (Hail Satain!)? It's not merely those words sung very low in the men's chorus and very high in the women's chorus. It's everything else that surrounds it. The dissonant voicings among the instruments, the relentless ostinati, and the cacophonous textures enveloping them.

It's a simple approach to a simple score that would also mark Goldsmith's only Academy Award which he won for Best Original Score in 1977.

This week on the program we'll tantalize the darkness with Goldsmith's epic scores for all three films in THE OMEN trilogy.

Here is the lineup for FSF-132 Three Good Omens



Here is the text Goldsmith set for the iconic music for THE OMEN (1976).

Sanguis Bibimus.
Corpus Edimus.

Sanguis Bibimus.
Corpus Edimus.

Sanguis Bibimus.
Corpus Edimus.
Tolle Corpus Satani!
Ave!

Sanguis Bibimus.
Corpus Edimus.
Tolle Corpus Satani!
Ave!

Ave! Ave Versus Christus!
Ave! Ave Versus Christus!
Ave! Ave Versus Christus!
Ave Satani!

Sanguis Bibimus.
Corpus Edimus.
Tolle Corpus Satani!
Satani!
Satani!
Ave!
Ave!
Satani!


Do dare I publish the translations to this mass of evil? OK. But read at your own risk!!

Ave! = Hail!
Ave! Ave Versus Christus! = Hail! Hail the Antichrist!
Ave Satani! = Hail Satan!
Corpus Edimus. = The flesh we eat.
Sanguis Bibimus. = The blood we drink.
Satani! = Satan!
Tolle Corpus Satani! = Raise the body of Satan!

This is some pretty creepy stuff. It draws a line for many people which they dare not cross. For the rest, it embodies and emblazons a trilogy of terror that has no equal. In the cinematic world, it's just plain fun.

I've often wondered if the tempered Goldsmith made any secret trips to the confessional booth upon composing this amazingly dark mass of evil?

Incidentally, it should be noted that there is actually a fourth OMEN film entitled THE OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING (1991) and there was also a remake of the original film called THE OMEN (2006). I refrained from including them on this particular program because its called Three Good Omens.

Do you remember the summer of 1982. For movie enthusiasts such as myself, the summer of 1982 will go down as probably the best summer for movies in the history of cinema. The long list of classics released in a relatively short period of time is staggering. Films like E.T. - THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, BLADE RUNNER, THE TERMINATOR, TRON, POLTERGEIST, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KAHN, THE THING, and THE ROAD WARRIOR, all came out within a four month span. The composers responsible for scoring some of these films included John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Basil Poledouris, and Ennio Morricone.

It was one great summer!

Why mention 1982? For one simple reason...2008 may give it a run for its money. So far the summer is already off to a great start. It's been one of the most memorable summers for movies since 1982 and we're only half-way through June. Films like IRON MAN, SPEED RACER, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, WALL*E, and INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL are creating enough buzz to really have some fun in the theaters.

With an onslaught of cool films could come an onslaught of cool scores. It'll be hard keeping up with them all this summer but I've decided that we should give it a try.

Here is the lineup for FSF-131 New Release Roundup: June '08



The first new score on tap is my favorite score of the year so far, SPEED RACER (2008) composed by Michael Giacchino. Wow! I love, love, love, love, love, love this score! Giacchino continues to prove his mind-blowingly amazing skills at film music composition. If you know the original theme song from the cartoon series which was composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe, you'll quickly recognize fragments of it expertly woven into the score. It's fun, fast, and downright sensational. Go, go, go...

The next brand new score is a sequel score to THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE (2006) called THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA:PRINCE CASPIAN (2008). It was composed
by Harry Gregson-Williams who also penned the previous film. The film and its accompanying score is bigger, grander, and darker than its predecessor. Gregson-Williams composed a lot of new material but fans of his previous score will certainly recognize the old themes woven throughout.

The next score is really not a new release. It came out in January of 2008 but I haven't done a new release show in so long and this score is so incredibly good that I had to include it. I said "score" but actually the entire score is just one piece of music. It's a twelve minute work used during the closing credits to CLOVERFIELD (2008) and was composed by Michael Giacchino. There is no other music used throughout the entire film. If you're a fan of Akira Ifukube who penned the iconic scores for a host of GODZILLA films including the 1954 original, you'll love the homage Giacchino crafted with his aptly titled "Roar!" which is available only on iTunes for a paltry $0.99! An amazing twelve minute piece of music for under a buck? Yup!

The last score on the slate is a score we've been waiting for for almost twenty years. It's an event in film music history that we've only ever experienced three times prior. It's the release of a new Indiana Jones score by John Williams.

The new film, entitled INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, finds Indy in the 1950s against Russian agents searching for an extra-terrestrial power. Williams, true to fashion, didn't disappoint. With new Russian themes, amazing action music, and the iconic "Raiders' them, Williams wrote his fourth and most likely, final score for an Indiana Jones movie.

With more new and exciting films coming out weekly, I'll probably do another new release program shortly. If enough great scores emerge I may even do two. It can be difficult keeping up with them all but with your help, I'm sure we'll get through it.

Ray Bradbury is one of America's most treasured authors. While many writers who dabble in science fiction struggle to receive the recognition they deserve, Bradbury has managed to transcend genre writing and be classified not just as a great science fiction writer, but as a great writer. Nevertheless, it is science fiction that has made Bradbury famous.

His stories illicit imaginative invention unlike the literary world has ever seen. When filmmakers assign themselves to the arduous task of adapting Bradbury's works to the silver screen, they discover the daunting challenge of translating his mind into cinema. He's been considered one of the more difficult writers to adapt on screen requiring seasoned filmmakers at the height of their game to do it successfully.

Having written more than six hundred short stories, thirty books, and a healthy collection of plays, the works of Ray Bradbury provide a bountiful resource for motion picture storytelling. And where there are great stories on screen, you'll hear great scores accompanying them.

This week on FILM SCORE FOCUS we're going to listen to scores from films that were adapted from the works of Ray Bradbury.

Here is the lineup for FSF-130 I Score The Body Electric.



When one speaks of Ray Bradbury's works on screen, the first title which should come to mind is FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966) directed by François Truffaut with music by Bernard Herrmann. I've always considered this to be one of the most difficult yet successful Bradbury adaptations. Oskar Werner and Julie Christie are timeless in their portrayals of Guy Montag and Clarisse. Herrmann's score is among his best as he compliments the pale world set forth by Bradbury and realized by Truffaut with flawless abandon.

One should also note that another FAHRENHEIT 451, this time adapted by Frank Darabont, is set to hit theaters in 2010.

Another notable adaptation is the feature film THE ILLUSTRATED MAN (1969) which was a collection of three vignettes wrapped in a bizarre tale of a man covered all over with skin illustrations (They're not tattoos, they're skin illustrations! Don't you ever call them tattoos!). For the score, Jerry Goldsmith created a strange world where each vignette had its own distinct style and flavor. He heavily pursued electronic experimentation especially in the last short story which dealt with the end of the world.

Finally, another Bradbury short story was adapted into an episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1962) entitled "I Sing The Body Electric" which was scored by Nathan van Cleave. Bradbury wrote over six-hundred short stories which lent themselves well to episodic television such as THE TWILIGHT ZONE and ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS.

The cinematic world has not even come close to tapping into the mind of Ray Bradbury. I'm sure audiences everywhere will continue to experience his work on both the big and small screens and his influence will forever permeate other writers, filmmakers, and yes, composers too!

Calling all film music fans in Austin! There's a free film music concert this Friday that you'll not want to miss.

Austin Wind Symphony celebrates three years with FREE concert!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Austin, TX – May 23, 2008 – It’s what you’ve been waiting for all year long… Now, after months of box-office boredom, summer movie season is finally here! And what better way to kick off the season than by listening to the music of your favorite blockbusters performed LIVE by the Austin Wind Symphony?

Come join AWS for “Adventures in Great Film Music” on Friday, June 6th at 8 p.m. You’ll be on the edge of your seat with the rousing action themes of Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean and you’ll marvel at the beauty and magic of the Chronicles of Narnia. Set a course for fun, as you journey to the deepest underwater depths aboard SeaQuest DSV, and blast off into the farthest reaches of space in command of the Battlestar Galactica!

In honor of the Austin Wind Symphony's three year anniversary, the “Adventures” concert will be FREE of charge! In this age of pricier gas, and let's face it, pricier everything, why not enjoy an evening of adventure on us?

Featuring selections from:

Amazing Stories
Indiana Jones
The Chronicles of Narnia
Pirates of the Caribbean
Stargate SG-1
Battle Beyond The Stars
Battlestar Galactica
SeaQuest DSV
Hercules
Star Wars: The Asteroid Field
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves


Everyone is welcome and encouraged to wear a costume from their favorite adventure film!

Mark your calendars:
“Adventures in Great Film Music” with the Austin Wind Symphony
Friday, June 6th at 8 p.m.
Bethany Lutheran Church (south Austin)
FREE ADMISSION

For more information, press requests: call us at 512.944.8908, or visit us online at austinwindsymphony.org or myspace.com/theaustinwindsymphony.

** AWS is a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to providing education, entertainment and cultural enrichment while promoting and renewing public interest in the celebration of great scores from television, video games and motion pictures. **

With today being Memorial Day and the anniversary of D-Day just around the corner, I wanted to pay tribute to every courageous soul who selflessly answered the call of duty in defense of freedom around the world. The allied attack on Normandy, France, was the turning point of World War II as the Nazis began their retreat back into Germany which ultimately led to their unconditional surrender.

I am in awe of every man and woman who puts on the uniform of our armed services with a special place in my heart reserved for those who paid the price with their lives in the name of freedom.

This week on the program, I am going to focus on two talented composers whose music honors these soldiers in ways that only music can.

Here is the lineup for FSF-129 Remembering D-Day


There are a lot of great films made dedicated to telling the vast multitude of stories surrounding D-Day. When I decided to put together a program on film scores from D-Day films I ultimately decided to narrow it down to two.

First of all, I wanted to minimize interruption of the music and pack in as many heartfelt notes as I could manage. Secondly, these two examples represent the finest I've encountered not just in telling the story of D-Day but in capturing the essence of war on film. With great film making usually comes great scoring and in both of these cases, the music is as heart-swelling, as powerful, as emotional, and as gut-wrenching as war film scores get. I can think of no better way to honor those who stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6th, 1944, than by presenting these two powerful scores.

BAND OF BROTHERS (2001) could very well by the finest mini-series ever made. Produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg for HBO, BAND OF BROTHERS tells the story of the men of the 101st Airborne Division who parachuted behind enemy lines on the battle of Normandy. This ten part series follows these men from D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge, and on into Germany and Austria. Coming from a seasoned war film buff, I can honestly say that BAND OF BROTHERS is as good as it gets.

Michael Kamen was the man tasked to compose the music for each episode. From the lilting and emotional main title sequence all the way through each episodic adventure, Kamen delivered what I consider to be his best scoring ever.

It's been a tradition of mine that every year on June 6th, I watch SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998). It's among my top twenty favorite films of all time and like BAND OF BROTHERS, represents some of the finest in war time film making you'll ever encounter.

On the podium is long time Spielberg collaborator, John Williams, who has composed a score which rivals many of his all-time classics. There are a few pieces of film music out there where I just feel thankful for their existence. Williams' "Hymn to the Fallen" is one of those pieces. It's more than just a piece of film music designed to accompany a scene. It's a testimony to a very real part of our history and culture. It captures who we are as Americans and how important it is for us to be free. It transcends its film and exists on its own accord as one of the seminal works commemorating that victorious yet costly day.

This June 6th, I encourage you to watch either SAVING PRIVATE RYAN or BAND OF BROTHERS. I'll probably do both. I hope hearing the music will inspire you remember those who put their lives on the line for ours. No amount of gratitude on our part will suffice but we'll forever continue to try.

In September of 2007 I held a contest to win two free Mychael Danna CDs. To enter, you had to submit your best idea for a new FILM SCORE FOCUS show. The one who came up with the best idea won the two free CDs and got their idea programmed into an upcoming show.

The winner was Susan M. Romanella of San Marcos, Texas. Although I got a lot of great ideas, Susan came up with a great idea that didn't just result in listening to great film music but also created an awareness of something very precious to her. It tied in to a major cause she was affiliated with at her university and would make people think.

Here was her entry:

My best idea is to do a show on “water music on film”…selecting films where water (albeit in the form of rivers, oceans, streams, ponds….or even ice and snow) is a central focus in the story and its presence is translated into the accompanying score. It would be exciting, in lieu of hearing the scores of more obvious choice “blockbuster” films, to hear some lesser known music and composers.

I do have another important reason for suggesting this idea for a show. 2007-2008 is the year of the “Water Planet” Common Experience theme at Texas State University-San Marcos. Throughout the year, our university community will focus on and celebrate the unique role of water in our lives in an effort to encourage good stewardship of this precious natural gift. I have included the link to the “Water Planet” Common Experience website that features a few of the upcoming events and programs that will take place all year long. Shimmering and flowing throughout our campus, the San Marcos River is an ever present reminder of the beauty, power, and grace of water. The subject of water is a source for creative expression that crosses all boundaries – artistic, cultural, and historical. It would be wonderful to add your special musical signature to this “common experience”!

It's a great entry and I'm pleased to finally be bringing her idea to the airwaves. We decided to wait and air it in late Spring or early Summer as people were starting to get water on the brain. As the hot weather sets in in Texas, folks are heading to beaches, rivers, lakes, water parks, sprinklers, and pools. What better time to get the world to stop and think about this precious resource?

Here is the lineup for FSF-128 Water Water Everywhere



The idea seemed simple. Flawless. Putting together the actual program? Not so much. Sure, there's plenty of material out there to chose from, that wasn't the problem. There were a ton of great water-themed films out there that used film music to convey that theme. Ultimately, that's the problem. With so much to chose from how best do you assemble the four or five films to best express the idea of the show. I spent a lot of time programming this particular edition of FSF and I'm proud with the results. The five films featured here cover an interesting gamut of water-themed films and all have fantastic scores that are pure joy to listen to.

I decided to showcase water as different vehicles for narrative storytelling. There is water as adventure, water as healer, water as mystery, water as love, and water as security. Of course, these are over-simplified and actually cover more than outlined here but this was my start.

The first selection was easy. When I think of water film music one of the very first cues that come to my mind is a piece entitled aptly "The Sea" by Bernard Herrmann from the film BENEATH THE TWELVE-MILE REEF (1953). Herrmann has a tendency to capture the story's setting with his music early in a film. This is no exception. Led by an ensemble of which includes five harps, Herrmann paints the sea as a wondrous world filled with adventure and excitement. You can hear the waves snaking along the surface of the water and see the sparkling mist thrown into the air with each crash. Herrmann's a master at capturing such vivid imagery in his music and BENEATH THE TWELVE-MILE REEF is a great example.

Next up on our worldly look at water is the impassioned A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (1992) with an inevitably classic score by Mark Isham. In this film, water is used as a symbol for a great many things. It's cleansing powers are shown to heal, to strengthen, and to nurture towards maturity. It's ubiquitous presence is a constant reminder of how families can grow and love even amongst their differences. In the story of A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT two sons of a Presbyterian minister go down different paths but is constantly reunited by their love for fly fishing on the river.

You can expound upon the symbolism of water in this film for hours. It's effectiveness is magnified but a pure and sweet score by Isham. The solo violin passages accompanied by a small ensemble of strings and folk instruments create the perfect backdrop for the drama and symbolism to unfold.

For our next selection I wanted to showcase the mystery of water. It's been said that we know more about outer space than we do our deep oceans. I think this was the inspiration behind THE ABYSS (1989), a film about a deep sea scientific colony who runs into something "out of this world" in our deep oceans. The water in this film adds to human arrogance and reveals its underlying naivety. We think we have the answers to so much, but as this movie reveals, we actually don't know much at all. It's also interesting how humans react to such unpredictable situations. Some react with wonder and amazement while others react with hostility. In this movie, the water creates a world that is much larger than the human race. We'll continue to wish and wonder what lies beneath the waves.

Sometimes the water metaphors aren't as obvious. Sometimes there may not always be a strong element of water in a setting in order to use the symbolic power of water. Such is the case with famed director Ingmar Bergman who often utilizes water symbolism in his films. He loves to use water as a metaphor for human kind's thirst for love. He's also been known to use it as a purifier and often uses bodies of water as a backdrop to the unfolding narrative.

To showcase a little of this I elected to play some tracks from WOMEN'S WAITING (1952) which was composed by Bergman's oft used composed Erik Nordgren. This score brings to the forefront the idea of Bergman's water symbolism in his films. The music is rich in creating a feeling of water and its cleansing, purifying, and thirst-quenching power.

For the final film, we're going to look at the security of water and its use as a sanctuary. In WHALE RIDER (2002), a young girl is made chief of her village. Facing her challenges she finds a peaceful and purifying sanctuary in the water. It strengthens her, allows her to mature, and provides an escape from the challenging tasks and taunting voices who are unhappy with her as chief.

The music, by Lisa Gerrard, plays into these ideas with her music without reproach. Even if you haven't seen the movie, the music itself provides a peaceful sanctuary and calming mood which is integral to the film.

All of these films showcase the use of water in unique and interesting ways. The scores provide much of what is evident and helps bring out water symbolism that may be more hidden. There are so many examples of water symbolism in cinema. Where you find it, listen to the music. Is it helping to bring it out? I think you'll find a great many of them do.

I want to thank Susan M. Romanella again for her great idea and for helping make this a great show. She provided me with a few ideas and also the water soundscape I used at the beginning of the show. She helped highlight an awareness for our most precious resource and also some great film music in the process.

Diane, 10:30 a.m., May Seventeenth. Entering the town of Austin, five hundred miles north of the Mexican border, four hundred miles west of the state line. I've never seen so many cows in my life. As W. C. Fields would say, I'd rather be here than Philadelphia. Eighty-four degrees on a slightly overcast day. Weatherman said rain. If you could get paid that kind of money for being wrong sixty percent of the time, it'd beat working. Mileage is seventy-nine thousand three hundred forty-five, gauge is on reserve, riding on fumes here, I've got to tank up when I get into town. There's a radio show about to start called Film Score Focus. Movie music. And I should like to get some pie...

Ahh! The droll delivery of Special Agent Cooper speaking to "Diane" still rings throughout my imaginative brain. I doubt I will ever be as entranced, as perplexed or as love with another television show as I was with TWIN PEAKS (1990-1991). This short lived show remains a historical addition to the pantheon of great television and still commands audiences years later.

I could go on and on and on and on about what makes TWIN PEAKS great but I'm here to really focus on one of those things: the music!

Here is the lineup for FSF-127 Welcome to Twin Peaks



I'll never forget the first time I heard the TWIN PEAKS theme by Angelo Badalamenti. I was living on a Navy base in Japan at the time and was sixteen years old. That haunting theme instantaneously cemented me to the show. Before the first actor came on screen I knew I was in love with this show solely because of that music. To this day if you talk to avid TWIN PEAKS enthusiasts you'll get a remarkable cry of appreciation for Badalamenti's music in the show. It IS the show. It captures everything about it. All that is loved and all that is lost. The pain, the heartache, the celebrations, and the mystery. I wonder if there will be a music that captures as much of a television show as Badalamenti was able to achieve.

On the program this week I'll be playing music from the first season of the show which was first released on CD way back in 1991 after the first season aired in the US. A second CD featuring music from the second season was just released late last year. It's great to get even more music from this beloved series especially after all these years.

I'll also be featuring Badalamenti's score for the feature film TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME. While not quite as cool or complete as the show was, this big screen prequel let fans inside the world of TWIN PEAKS the show was not able to take us. It's a nice addition to the series but ultimately pales in comparison.

She's filled with secrets. Where we're from, the birds sing a pretty song, and there's always music in the air.

This is actually a very exciting show for me to do because prior to me putting it together I knew very little about film composer Phillip Lambro. It always excites me when you play in the same house for years and then suddenly you discover a new door. Today, the new door led me to the music of Phillip Lambro.

It shouldn't be a terrible surprise to you if you haven't heard of Lambro before. He actually hasn't done that many film scores in his career. The ones he has done, are mostly documentaries that you're not likely to see just be stumbling on them. But it just goes to show you, you can find interesting and rewarding film music in even the mostly unlikely places.

Throughout his career, Lambro made the most of what he was given. Although the films he scored were sometimes less than stellar, he always put on his best hat and cared for each note he wrote. With small budgets, he was able to compose his way through effective scoring which is made evident with today's program.

This show was really made possible by a single CD release by Perserverance Records entitled THE FILM MUSIC OF PHILLIP LAMBRO. All of the music used on this week's show was taken from this CD. It features three documentary scores and a narrative feature score by Lambro.

Here is the lineup for FSF-126 The Duke of Docs: Phillip Lambro



The first is a 1971 documentary for a film entitled MINERAL KING. An early environmentalist film, it chronicled the potential hazards to California's Mineral King Valley by the building of a new ski resort by Walt Disney and the U.S. Forest Service. It was narrated by Burgess Meredith and consequently did have success in achieving its goal. In 1978, Congress annexed Mineral King Valley into Sequoia National Park which halted any further development in the area.

I like Lambro's music for this film quite a bit. It's a low budget score which often leads to some crafty and interesting scoring. There was just over a dozen total musicians featured in the score with the solo trumpet becoming a signature sound of the score. Lambro himself commented on its usage,

"The trumpet solo represents an isolated man against the majesty of nature."

Lambro also commented on the out of tune banjo he employed,

"That was to give the scene a primitive quality, because the producers couldn't find an old, beat-up 1920s ford and brought in a brand new reconditioned old-fashioned car for that scene."

One of the more interesting cues is the finale "The Wilderness Death Knell" which was written for solo bass drum.

The next film featured is a short documentary entitled FATHER PAT which came out in 1970 by the Catholic Family Theater. It chronicled the story of Father Patrick Peyton (1909-1992), who was a Catholic priest famous for this worldwide ministry. One of the interesting aspects for Lambro was the fact that he was a devout atheist. You would expect that in order to completely capture the piety, generosity, and spirituality of a holly man, you may yourself need to be at least partially be able to relate but in this case, it doesn't seem to be the case. Lambro did a very interesting job, once again with very little resources, of capturing the essence of Father Patrick through his music.

CELEBRATION came out in 1971 and was a propaganda film for the U.S. Information Agency. It was intended for foreign audiences to showcase how various people from the USA celebrate different events. This film allowed Lambro to explore the different ethnic ingredients which make up our country. Lambro was able to record with a small orchestra while utilizing various ethnic instruments such as the accordion and various Native American woodwinds.

And there is GIT! which is a narrative feature film composed by Lambro. Infamous for being bad, it has the unruly distinction of being regarded as one of the worst films ever made. Even the composer, Phillip Lambro, knew this when he took the project on. There's a wonderful quote by Lambro which I love.

"I told myself, this is a dog. A terrible picture, but your music doesn't have to be terrible. You can show you're better."

Ah! Many composers can relate I'm sure.

Have fun and enjoy the music of Phillip Lambro!

Much of the information provided here was taken from the liner notes of the CD which was written by Randall D. Larson.